PONTIAC, Mich. – Actor Darius McCrary, best known for his role as Eddie Winslow on the hit 1990s sitcom Family Matters, has been booked into the Oakland County Jail after being extradited from California to face a felony charge related to unpaid child support.
McCrary, 49, was arrested on October 5 near the U.S.–Mexico border after allegedly failing to appear for a Michigan court hearing connected to the child support case. Federal agents detained him while he attempted to cross back into the United States.
Prosecutors in San Diego argued McCrary was a flight risk, noting that his agent claimed he was “in Tijuana looking at real estate.” His public defender countered that McCrary was volunteering for a charity building homes for the unhoused and that the border crossing was accidental. A judge ultimately denied him bail, keeping him in custody until Michigan officials arranged extradition.
He was released to Michigan officials and booked into the Oakland County Jail on October 29 at 9:15 p.m., where he’s charged with Child Support – Failing to Pay. His bond is listed at $18,868.32 cash. Under Michigan law, anyone jailed for unpaid child support must post at least 25% of the total arrears to secure release, suggesting McCrary’s total outstanding balance is around $74,000 to $75,000.
He also has a $100 bond for absconding.
McCrary’s case stems from a long-running legal dispute with his ex-wife Tammy Brawner, a former Harlem Globetrotter. According to PEOPLE, their 2019 divorce settlement required McCrary to pay $1,366 per month in child support — $916 in base support plus $415 in child care costs.
Court documents also required McCrary to attend alcohol, drug abuse, and batterers’ intervention classes and limited his visitation to professionally supervised sessions until completing 10 visits.
In 2018, Brawner accused McCrary of injuring their daughter during a bathroom incident, though McCrary denied wrongdoing. The child was diagnosed with Nursemaid’s elbow, a common injury among toddlers.
McCrary is best known for his work on Family Matters (1989–1998), appearing alongside Reginald VelJohnson and Jo Marie Payton. He has since worked in music and film but has faced multiple legal and financial disputes in recent years.
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(Source: PEOPLE / Oakland County Jail Records / ABC10 News San Diego)